Toy



Jan. 28, 1930. J. w. RICHTER l 1,745,232

TOY

Filed Feb. 25, 1928 Patented Jana 28, 1930 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE TOY Application led February 23, 1928. Serial No. 256,075.

The invention relates generally to toys which are made to simulate snakes, lizards or other reptiles, and a general object is to provide a toy of this character which is lifelike in appearance, and is rugged and durable so as to withstand the rough handling to which such toys are generally subjected.

Another object is to provide such a rugged toy which is constructed of light material so that the complete toy will float in water.

A further obj ect is to provide a flexible toy of this character having means of a novel and simple character associated therewith which serves to govern the position assumed by the body.

Another obj ect is to provide such a flexible toy having means associated therewith operable by a uni-directional movement to impart a recurrent wavelike motion to the body s0 as to simulate in a life-like manner the normal wriggling` motion of the particular reptile represented.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a flexible toy of this class having such means operable from one endthereof to impart a wriggling motion to the toy.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a toy embodying the preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the toy shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary central vertical section of the toy.

Fig. l is a plan view of a part of the toy.

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of one of the sections which make up the toy.

6 is a plan view of one of the end sections.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the end section of a modiiied form of the invention.

While the invention is susceptible of vari- 45 ous modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred em bodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The toy which has been chosen for purposes of disclosure is made to represent a snake having a body which is made up of similar graduated body sections preferably of wood and including head and tail sections 10 and 11 and intermediate sections 12.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention it is contemplated that the toy will simulate the more common movements of a snake, that is, the lateral undulation or wave-like motion which it uses in moving through water or over the gound. The present embodiment is constructed, therefore, so as to permit lateral flexing of the body and to prevent flexing in a vertical direction. To this end theadjacent ends of the body sections are made so as to slope from the center to form angular-ly disposed end faces 15, (Fig. 1) and the adjacent sections are pivotally secured to each other so that the body of the toy may be flexed laterally.

The means employed to pivotally secure the sections together preferably comprises a plurality of flexible cords or strands 16 extending through the entire length of the body. In order that the body may be prevented from iiexing vertically and still be allowed to flex laterally. the cords 16 are preferably positioned one above the other in a vertical plane in longitudinal bores 17 (Fig. 5) formed in the sections. The strands 16 are secured in the two end sections 1() and 11 so as to be normallyT taut and thus hold the sections in close axial cont-act.

To provide for the use of a single piece of cord for the upper and lower strands, bores 18 are formed in the end sections l0 and 11 so as to register at their ends with the bores 17 in the adjacent sections 12 and to extend angularly therefrom to meet at a point 19 substantially in the side surface of the section. Thus a single piece of cord may be threaded into one of the bores 18 and out of the side of the section at 19, and the same end threaded back through the other bore 18. The body sections 12 may then be threaded onto the two ends of the strand and the two ends tied together after putting the other end section in place thereon. To receive the knot, a small recess may be provided in the section at the point 19 Where the two bores 18 meet.

Means is provided for controlling the position of the various sections relative to each other so that a normally sinuous or flexed positioning of the body maybe obtained. In preferred form this means comprises a wire 21 which extends longitudinally of the toy body in bores 22 formed therein. The wire 21, being continuous through the entire body, will, of course, tend to hold the body to the same general outline or figure as that of the wire.

In order that the simulation of a living reptile may be more completely carried out, the wire 21 is preferably of such a character that a movement thereof relative to the sections of the body is effective to produce a recurrent wave-like motion thereof which resembles the natural wriggling of a snake.

To this end the wire 21 is, in the present embodiment, formed from steel and tempered or otherwise treated so as to normally assume a sinuous outline as shown in Fig. 4. The wire 21 is then rotatably positioned in the central bore 22 so that when it is rotated or twisted relative to the sections, the spring action of the wire will eil'ect a progressive change in the relative positioning of the sections which will simulate the natural Wriggling of a snake. In order to facilitate the operation of the device, operating means such as a knurled fingerpiece 23 is provided fixed on the wire 21 at the tail of the body so that the wire may be easily rotated. An inturned flange 24 is provided on the fingerpiece 23 which engages a groove 25 formed in the section 11 to secure the wire 21 in position in the body of the toy.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig, 7 a different form of means is provided for rotatingr the wire 21. This means as herein shown comprises a coiled sping 26 surrounding the tail section 11 and having its opposite ends secured respectively to the section 11 and to the end of the wire 21. Thus after turning the wire 21 to tension the spring 26, the toy may be released and a Wriggling effect will be produced by the unwinding of the spring.

It has been found that when the toy is picked up by grasping it at the middle or end portions, the presence of the resilient wire 21 therein tends to impart an appearance of animation thereto.

In order that toys of this character may be used in bathing pools or the like Where it is desirable to have them float upon the surface of the Water, the toy is preferably constructed from wood. The use of wood also serves to make the toy more durable since it does not break when allowed to fall.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides a rugged floating toy which will simulate in a natural manner both the appearance and movements of a reptile.

I claim as my invention:

1. A toy of the class described comprising, in combination, a plurality of sections having angular end faces and a plurality of longitudinal bores formed therethrough, one bore being positioned near the top surface and one near the bottom surface of the sections, flexible cords extending through said top and bottom bores to maintain said sections in end-toend relation and to permit lateral flexure of the toy, a sinuous resilient wire extending through another one of said bores and operable when moved relative to said sections to cause a wave-like lateral flexing of said toy simulating the natural wriggling of a reptile, and means accessible exteriorly of said sections for moving said wire.

2. A toy of the class described having an elongated flexible body formed to resemble a reptile or the like, said body having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough, a tempered flexible metallic member having a sinuous outline and rotatably positioned in said bore, and means operable exteriorly of said body for rotating said member relatively to said body whereby to cause undulation of said body simulating the natural wriggling of the reptile.

3. A device of the character described having in combination, an elongated flexible body made to resemble a reptile or the like, and a resilient sinuous Wire rotatably mounted in fixed longitudinal position in said body operable by continued rotative movement in one direct-ion relative to said body to flex said body in opposite directions so as to impart a wriggling motion thereto which simulates the natural movement of the thing represented.

4. A toy of the character described having, in combination, a plurality of sections having angular end faces, means hinging said sections together to permit flexure of the body of the toy, each section having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough, and a tempered resilient Wire having a sinuous contour extending through the bores in snugly fitting relation thereto so as to engage the sides thereof and acting to hold the body in fa corresponding sinuous contour, said Wire being movable relatively to said sections to cause relative movement of said sections and flexing of the body formed thereby, means connected to said Wire and accessible exteriorly of said sections for moving said wire relatively thereto.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature,

JOHN WILLIAM RICHTER. 

